Lycopene supplements, which contain the red, antioxidant pigment found in tomatoes, vary widely in price and quality, according to a recent review by ConsumerLab.com. Among eight brands of lycopene supplements selected for testing, one contained only 42% of its listed amount of lycopene and its pills would not fully break apart during disintegration testing. Seven products passed the testing, as did five other lycopene supplements evaluated through ConsumerLab.com’s Voluntary Certification Program. Among the Approved products, the cost to obtain 10 mg of lycopene averaged 55 cents, with the lowest being 10 cents.

Intake of lycopene from foods and supplements has been associated with reduced risk of certain cancers but the evidence remains preliminary. Other preliminary evidence suggests applications in the prevention of preeclampsia in pregnancy, gingivitis, and the treatment of the precancerous condition leukoplakia.